When Earnest Hart, Assistant Managing Editor at The Clarion-Ledger, wanted to compare recent above-average temperatures to historic temperatures, he knew he needed a way to help his readers visualize the data. Comparing the two large, flat data sets side-by-side would be too confusing and difficult to sort through.

With roots tracing back to 1837, The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Mississippi is consistently finding new and creative ways to deliver the news to their readers. The paper strives to be a solid force in online publishing using today’s technological tools, such as video and databases created in Caspio.

Earnest found the perfect way to transform the flat data into a visually exciting and interactive chart. Because Caspio’s chart applications use the same point-and-click wizards as his other apps, he was able to get up and running in no time. “The entire project took about an hour, which included creating the source chart in Excel and importing into Caspio,” said Earnest. “Once in Caspio, the wizard to create the chart helped speed things using familiar steps.”

“The new charting features in Caspio allowed me to create a trend-line chart with little effort. And being able to incorporate an image in the chart helped with the presentation. I’m looking forward to exploring the other charting and calendar features in Caspio.”

Earnest Hart Assistant Managing Editor The Clarion-Ledger

The chart gives readers a clear visual comparison in an easy-to-read format. The graph even includes tool tips to hover over any point on the line chart to see the actual temperature record at that point in time. And because Caspio’s charts do not use Adobe Flash, the app supports the newspaper’s growing number of mobile device users.

The Clarion-Ledger has many other database projects planned incorporating charts for improved data visualization, such as election data, unemployment trends, crime statistics, and traffic violations.

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